Quiltville Mystery Season: Indigo Way Part 2

It's another busy week for Quiltville fans!  In the Facebook group and on Instagram (here, here or here) you can see how far people have gotten with Part 1 from last week.  You can pick up the latest clue for the "Indigo Way" mystery here.  

Those that are working on Part 2 will now be making Red and White "Triangles In a Square" units.  Bonnie gives instructions for using rulers (which are on sale right now in her online shop) as well as provides paper piecing templates in the instructions so you can choose which way you would prefer to make them.

For me, this year's season is all about finishing up all the mystery tops I've already made.  I've started off the season by continuing to work on finishing my version of Bonnie's "Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll" (now in her book "String Fling" also on sale in her shop right now).  After five years of work on it, I have finally finished the top, back and label area (which I pieced into the back) so now I'm working on layering it.

One issue right now is that this is a big quilt but I don't have a lot of basting pins freed up.  I have at least three (ok, maybe four?) partially quilted quilts that I might have to consider finishing just to free up pins!

The last two I worked on are sitting on the back of the sewing table.

Well, I did order more curved pins as part of a Cyber Monday purchase but who knows how long they will take to get here.  Hmmm, looks like the next few weeks may be all about quilting not just the mystery quilts!  Well, I could use the practice.....

There's another good thing about tackling these this season.  Bonnie has always said she designs her quilts to be large.  That is perfect for me as it is an opportunity to clear out all of the Queen size batts I've stocked over the years.  

It's been a while since I've made a bed-sized quilt (the last one was here) so finishing up all the mystery tops will be a chance to clear out my stock.  I always hate to cut up a Queen batt for lap quilts or wall hangings so will usually run out and buy a smaller batting when I need one.  No need to do that for these projects!

While I am pinning, I will also be ruminating on how I will quilt this.  Given the busyness of this design and the size of the quilt, my first thought is to do an all over design. This would be the quickest way to go and the easiest way to maneuver this big quilt through my DSM.  To that end, I've considered "Stippling" but also came across notes for a "Feather and Swirl Meander" that is similar to what I did on a long ago quilt and originally learned about in this book.  

However, I admit that when I look at the top, I keep seeing the two alternating blocks and how visually they are oriented on strong vertical and horizontal axis.  I admit I've also found a few designs that tempt me to do two different custom designs, one in each block.  I've also considered stitching along the visual axis lines.  Okay, I will need to preview all of these to help decide which way I will go.

The great thing about the mystery season is that whatever you are working on, know that there are thousands world-wide sewing along with you.  Don't forget to download the instructions now while they are free.  Bonnie will remove them from her blog once the mystery season is done at which point she'll be selling it as a pattern in her online shop.  Happy weekend quilting!